Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement

Last updated: September 2026

The International Journal of Agricultural Research, Innovation and Technology (IJARIT) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics, scientific integrity, and editorial transparency. IJARIT follows the core principles and guidance published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in all matters of editorial decision-making, authorship, peer review integrity, and misconduct handling.

For plagiarism screening standards and post-publication corrections/retractions, see the Plagiarism & Retraction Policy. For the manuscript evaluation workflow itself, see Peer Review & Ethics.

1. Authorship Criteria

Authorship should be limited to those who have made a substantial intellectual contribution to the conception, design, execution, data analysis, or interpretation of the study. All listed authors must:

  • Approve the final version of the manuscript prior to submission.
  • Agree to be accountable for the accuracy and integrity of the work.

Individuals who contributed to the study but do not meet full authorship criteria should be recognized in the Acknowledgements section rather than listed as authors. Any change to the author list after submission requires written consent from all authors and a justification submitted to the Editor-in-Chief.

2. Conflicts of Interest & Funding Disclosure

  • Authors must disclose, at submission, any financial, personal, or professional relationships that could be perceived to influence the reported research.
  • Funding Statement: Authors must disclose all sources of research funding and state the funding body's role (if any) in study design, data collection and analysis, the decision to publish, or manuscript preparation.
  • Editors recuse themselves from processing manuscripts in which they have competing relationships with any author or institution involved.
  • Reviewers must decline an invitation to review where a conflict of interest exists and must notify the handling editor promptly.

3. Data Availability

Authors are encouraged to make the data underlying their findings publicly available through an appropriate repository or supplementary material, or to state that data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

4. Policy on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine-Generated Tools

  • Authorship Eligibility: AI tools or Large Language Models (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude) do not qualify for authorship.
  • Disclosure Requirement: Where AI tools assist with language editing, translation, or grammar correction, authors must disclose the specific tool name, version, and purpose in the Materials and Methods or Acknowledgements section.
  • Image & Data Integrity: Generating synthetic experimental figures, datasets, or results using generative AI constitutes data fabrication and results in immediate rejection (see Plagiarism & Retraction Policy for sanctions).

5. Research Ethics & Human/Animal Welfare

  • Animal and Livestock Research: Studies involving live animals must comply with recognized institutional guidelines (e.g., IACUC) and cite the official ethics approval reference number.
  • Human Subjects & Socio-Economic Surveys: Research involving human participants must include evidence of informed consent and IRB approval, or a documented exemption.
  • Field & Environmental Studies: Field trials involving agricultural chemicals, GMOs, or invasive species must state compliance with relevant national biosecurity and environmental safety frameworks.

6. Duties and Responsibilities of Stakeholders

Editors: Publication decisions are based solely on scientific merit, originality, clarity, and relevance to journal scope. Editors and staff maintain confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.

Peer Reviewers: Reviewers provide constructive, evidence-based feedback; notify the handling editor promptly if unqualified or delayed; maintain confidentiality of manuscripts under review; and must not upload manuscripts to generative AI platforms (see Peer Review & Ethics for full reviewer duties).

7. Appeals Process

Authors who disagree with an editorial decision may submit a formal, written appeal to the Editor-in-Chief within 14 days of the decision, stating the specific grounds for reconsideration. Appeals are evaluated, where warranted, with input from an independent editor or reviewer not involved in the original decision. The outcome of the appeal is final.

To report suspected ethical misconduct or a publication dispute, contact the Editorial Office at editor@ijarit.online or editor.ijarit@gmail.com.